Thursday, May 15, 2008

Light the Way

This morning whilst browsing the ABC Website, the Australian national television broadcaster, about Budget reports I came across this article an excerpt of which follows

Women are heading back to the sewing machines writes Clara Vuletich.

"...the satisfaction and empowerment you feel when you have made it yourself is infectious ... it is something we have lost since mass manufacturing was developed. Not only have we become passive and deskilled as modern day consumers but we are also buying into the idea that the fashion system can satisfy our needs." More...

I left a comment which hasn't appeared yet but it seems to me that this is a wonderful opportunity to add our voices by way of comment. I would like to see a thousand voices or more so that they will be forced to look at what this might be all about. In my comment I mentioned not only the very creative endeavours of so many women but also the incredible goodwill I have personally witnessed when I have toured exhibitions- and also the incredible trail of love that textiles leaves on the entire globe- from Blankets of Love for prenatal babies to quilts for homeless and refugees, from Fiber Arts for A Cause, the thousands and thousands of raffle quilts made to raise funds for charitable causes, from knitted beanies for Afghani children ,from the Anat project I witnessed in Syria to Pascale Goldenburg's project with Afghani embroideries in Europe- all done with love and a realisation that there are many many people in the world less fortunate than us. So if you do one thing today- please leave a comment on the ABC website- write in your own language to show how widely the language of textiles travels. Ask your friends to also comment.

4 comments:

Shirley Goodwin said...

I have left my message Dijanne. Do you think we're on the verge of being "discovered" by the media? I don't mean you and me personally, I mean all those of us who are out there creating and making stuff.

Judy said...

Hi! Dijanne,

I will go from here to the ABC site and thanks for the link.

Definately agree with you thoughts on working in textiles of any kind, it saddens me that we are losing these skills of self development that so improves our feeling of self worth as women.

I give thanks i come from a line of women from Great Grandmother down to daughters and granddaughters who all value the ability to sew for themselves and their homes and for pure pleasure.

Judy.

Anonymous said...

I am going to the ABC site from here to leave a comment. I share you thoughts on the love and goodwill involved with women and textiles.

jude said...

yes, me too.